Thomas Frank's Brentford: The epitome of pragmatism

Since securing promotion to the Premier League in 2021, Brentford has established itself as a top-flight side. This is largely because of their manager Thomas Frank. The Dane has led the Bees to 13th, 9th, and 16th-placed finishes since entering the Premier League.

Unlike the new norm of promoted sides opting for a more expansive style of play, however, Frank has stuck to pragmatic principles. The support that the Brentford executives have shown Frank reinforces how well he has done to keep Brentford afloat in the Premier League.

Recruitment, malleable principles of play, and ‘butterfly effect’ tactics are the main factors that have been conducive to Brentford’s consistency in the Premier League.

Pragmatic principles

A clear example of Frank’s pragmatism is how compact Brentford usually is, especially against better opposition. Whether it is a 5-3-2 or a 4-3-3, these formations are always predicated upon narrowness. This is quite a far cry from how dominant and expansive Brentford were in the Championship. Knowing the quality leap, however, Frank had to compromise to avoid falling into the trap of newly promoted sides conceding too frequently.

Frank’s more defensive approach should not be interpreted as cowardice though. Frank makes his Brentford side go man-to-man in the press to force high turnovers quickly. His pressing structure ensures that Brentford is not passive out of possession. Frank knows that physical aggression is needed from his players to hang in the notoriously physical Premier League.

Brentford’s off-ball setup has meant that, first and foremost, Brentford has been frustrating to play against. Emphasizing a strong defensive setup has contributed massively to Brentford’s consistency in the Premier League.

‘Butterfly effect’ tactics

Frank has been very adept at using his side’s aggression to take advantage of how his opponents set up defensively. He has been able to utilize his side’s aggression to implement special tactics to overwhelm his opponents. For example, if the opposition is kicking the game off, Brentford will usually hunt down the players like rabid dogs. If Brentford is kicking the game off, the Bees will often go direct and try to get the ball into the opposition’s final third as early as possible. The key is that Brentford will exploit specific aspects of a team’s defensive setup by overwhelming it with bodies. This is why they score so early so often.

These small tactical instructions sometimes end up having a significant impact on the game. The butterfly effect.

Attacking prowess

Frank’s narrow off-ball setup suits a counter-attacking team with willing runners in behind and attackers who can hold up the ball. This is highly valuable in a league where, now more than ever, more teams are defending high. Players like Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbuemo are perfect examples of the attacking dynamic that suits Frank’s Brentford. Both men were reliable attacking outlets who still aligned with Frank’s defensive setup. Brentford having a relatively tall squad also meant they retained a respectable set-piece threat.

It is important, however, to recognize that Frank was especially lucky to have had the immense quality of Toney and Mbuemo at his disposal. Toney and Mbuemo have a combined 96 goal contributions in the Premier League. Although Toney and Mbeumo’s dynamic worked for Frank’s system, their individual quality enabled Brentford to overperform.

Smart recruitment

Brentford has primarily recruited players who suited Frank’s needs. Data is used to assess whether a certain player aligns with what Frank requires for the position. Frank and the team consider many factors when determining if a potential signee can have a long-term future at the club. A common example of one of these factors is injury history.

Regarding midfielders, Frank has openly expressed that he wishes for his midfielders to be robust and athletic. Frank wants durable midfielders who can keep up with the physicality and intensity of the Premier League. This helps to instill discipline within the midfielders to maintain Frank’s defensive principles. When attacking, athletic midfielders help Frank institute fluid rotations in the final third and drag opposition players out of position.

Frank working closely with Brentford’s recruitment team has produced a squad that has exceeded expectations. Outside of standout players like Toney and Mbeumo who certainly helped with this overperformance, the rest of Brentford’s squad is uninspiring on paper. Frank’s physical profiling and his adaptable coaching, however, have consistently put Brentford in the best position to avoid relegation.

Frank himself is a particularly likable character and expressive communicator in the dressing room and the media. It may be that another reason why Frank is a pragmatic coach is because he is a pragmatic person.

PHOTOS: IMAGO